A Thousand Armies Couldn't Tear Us Apart
by JenerasX
Summary: Caroline goes to Klaus in New Orleans. Things aren't easy though when the malicious Marcel interferes. Klaus, Elijah, and Caroline must all work together in order to defeat Marcel. Marcel sees Caroline in a new light and perhaps develops feelings for her. (Author's Note: It starts off a bit slow but it gets better afterwards!)
1. Caroline Decides to go to NOLA

Caroline breathed in the fresh air of New Orleans as she got out of the cab and clutched onto her carry-on bag. _There must be some sort of festival going on_, she wondered as she took everything in. Quickly and carefully as to not bump into people, she eased herself into the ever moving crowd and did her best to find her way to the restaurant to find the witch Sophie whom Klaus said she could go see if she ever wanted to find him.

She wasn't sure why or even how she found enough strength to put her ego aside to visit him but something inside her wanted to see him. She couldn't call him and meet up with him like a normal person because he worried for her safety so she had to do it through the witch so that no one would suspect she was a friend of his and use her against him. She reached the restaurant and stepped inside. The first thing Caroline noticed was the smell, it was incredible. "What is that?" she said out loud without meaning to.

"Gumbo. But we're closed at the moment," the woman behind the counter said, as she pointed to the large sign by the window.

"Oh, yeah, I saw the sign. I was just hoping you could tell me where to find someone named Sophie. I need help finding someone and I think she may know where I could find him," Caroline said trying to read the woman who was so clearly trying to read her too.

"Well, I'm Sophie but I doubt I would be of much help," Sophie said trying to sound as nonchalant as possible as not to give anything away. Caroline saw right past her act.

"Klaus Mikaelson," Caroline said defiantly. Sophie's eyes flashed with fear but she held her ground.

"And who are you?" Sophie asked Caroline rather suspiciously. _Since when does he have any friends? Let alone this young girl_, she thought to herself. Klaus wasn't the type of guy to have visitors.

"Caroline Forbes, I'm a... friend of Klaus," she said, the phrase not really agreeing with her mouth. "I know you don't know me and that you're probably very suspicious about anyone who comes into this place, especially someone like me asking for someone like Klaus but I can assure you I mean no harm," she said.

Sophie began to visibly relax after hearing Caroline out and began to think about whether or not she could actually trust this girl.

"Fine," Sophie said trusting her instincts, "I'll see what I can do," and she was gone.

_Well that was easier than I thought_, Caroline thought as she waited for Sophie to do whatever she was doing - hopefully calling someone who could lead her to Klaus. She sat at one of the stools at the bar and began to think about everyone at home. She didn't tell anyone she was leaving and with good reason. Caroline didn't want anyone to try and stop her from visiting Klaus. After a few minutes Sophie walked back into the room with a piece of paper in her hand.

"Here. It'll take you to him," Sophie handed her the folded up piece of paper.

"Thank you!" Caroline said, more joyful than she intended to be. "I owe you one," she exclaimed not even sure if she would ever see this woman again.

"Yeah," Sophie said as Caroline was walking out the door. "Be careful," she whispered.

****Caroline opened up the piece of paper which had very clear instructions on where to go and who to look for. _Holy crap, he sure is difficult to reach_, she thought but that didn't sway her one bit. She was determined to find him.


	2. Caroline Encounters Marcel

Finally, after what seemed like hours talking to strangers and going into weird places, she arrived at what appeared to be an abandoned building. It resembled an old factory of some sort. The place looked completely deserted... from the outside. She walked towards a large metal door and pushed it open. Inside was a completely different world. Caroline took in everything around her: the large space, the large crowd, the music... and the blood. The whole place smelled of fresh blood. She swallowed. "What is this place?" she whispered to herself, feeling her mouth go dry.

She walked inside unsure of who to look for. She looked down at the note in her hand that had the careful instructions to find Klaus. Caroline stared at the note carefully, slowly walking into the building. She didn't notice some of the vampires had begun to stare at her. She stood out among them and it was clear to anyone that she wasn't like them. She looked around trying to find the person that Sophie had listed on the note but didn't see anyone that fit the description.

Caroline turned around and suddenly a man was in front of her, his face inches from hers. He had to be a vampire to move that fast. His eyes bore into her.

"Well, hello there," he said, sounding casual. There was something amusing about the way he spoke.

"H-hi," Caroline blurted out, staring up at him.

"And who might you be?" he asked.

"Caroline," she said sternly, gathering her confidence once again. "And who might you be?" she retorted.

"Marcel," he said just as sternly. "And I run things around here," he gestured to the entire place.

"Maybe I'm not from here." She was amused. She flashed him a smile and he relaxed a bit.

He smiled back. In fact, he was grinning. He was impressed by her bravery and her carefree attitude. Marcel was close enough to smell her. She smelled good. _Who is this girl?_ Marcel wondered to himself. He found himself staring at her for too long and quickly stopped.

"So why are you here?" he asked, genuinely curious. They typically had tourists but none that resembled anything like Caroline. She looked too... pure.

"I'm looking for someone." She was serious once again. "Klaus Mikaelson."

Marcel's eyes grew dark though Caroline wasn't sure why. He gave her a quick smile and was back to normal again. "I've heard of him," he said, amused. _What's he getting at? What's his game?_ she wondered, slightly annoyed that this guy was withholding information from her.

Suddenly, as if on cue, Klaus was next to both of them. He looked upset though Caroline couldn't pinpoint why. What she didn't realize was how close Marcel and her were. Klaus was protective of her and also a bit jealous of their proximity towards each other.


	3. Finally Finding Klaus

"Marcel!" Klaus said casually coming in between them. Why is she here!? he thought frantically. Marcel who had done his research since Klaus came into town, suddenly knew exactly who the blonde vampire was.

_Caroline Forbes_. The _Caroline Forbes_, he thought to himself. He chuckled out loud. "Klaus," he said, nodding his head. Marcel decided he would use this opportunity to find more information on Caroline since she appeared to be the only true weapon he had against Klaus.

"Well, I'd better go. Caroline," he gestured towards Klaus, "here he is." He smiled brightly. "I hope you decide to stay in town awhile," he said flirtingly. He grabbed her hand, bent down and kissed it. He looked up at her. Caroline was surprised but she didn't budge. "See you around." And he was gone.

Klaus, seeing the look in Marcel's eyes became frustrated. He knew that look. He had seen it before when they were on the prowl together. Marcel only had that look when he wanted something, a girl to be specific. Seeing that look in his eyes while looking at the only woman he had loved in centuries made him jealous. She's mine, he said to himself, the territorial part from his werewolf side was beginning to surface.

Klaus made sure Marcel was gone and looked at Caroline. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" he asked her.

"Well, you said to go through Sophie for security reasons or whatever. So I decided I'd just go to her directly instead of calling you first. What's the big deal?" she asked, annoyed. "And who the hell was that?" she gestured to the direction in which Marcel had left.

"That was Marcel," he said angrily. "And he's not as charming as he makes himself out to be." He paused to collect himself. "Caroline," he stepped closer to her, "that man is not your friend. I'm sure he already had some of his people dig into my personal life as soon as I showed my face around here so I wouldn't be surprised if he already knew who you were."

"Okay... How do you know him anyway?" she asked, wondering about the apparent rivalry there seemed to be between Marcel and Klaus.

"We were... friends a long time ago. All that is behind us now."

Caroline nodded knowing very well Klaus didn't want to stay on the subject for very long. "Let's get out of here," she said, smiling, coming back to her regular self. Klaus smiled. "My pleasure," he said, leading her out of the old building.

Once they were outside he began to tell her all about New Orleans and his favorite places around the city. He spoke about his old life. Caroline just watched him as he spoke, fascinated by how much he could talk. She had never seen him this... alive before. She couldn't help but smile.

"Are you mocking me, Caroline?" Klaus said jokingly. Her smile grew wider.

"No," she giggled slightly. "I've just never seen you so, so happy before. It's refreshing."

Klaus pondered this for a moment. If she only knew how fulfilled she made me feel. "Indeed it is," he said staring at her.

They walked for what seemed like hours through the starlit city, talking about New Orleans and about her plans after graduation.

Meanwhile Marcel was sitting on the chair in his bedroom thinking about Caroline and on how he could use her to get to Klaus. _She's not as dumb as I thought she would be_, Marcel thought. _She's actually pretty good looking too_. He chuckled. _Klaus sure does know how to pick a beauty._ His mind drifted off to thoughts about Caroline, Klaus, and plans to be rid of the hybrid for good.


	4. Caroline vs Marcel

The next day Klaus took Caroline out to the city. There were street dancers, people painting on sidewalk, musicians, merchants, and so much more. Everywhere you turned there was something new to be seen. Caroline had never seen anything like it.

"This place is incredible!" she exclaimed, amazed at all the exciting things taking place around her.

"Isn't it?" he said, smiling. He took her hand which she, surprisingly, didn't mind. "I want you to see it all," he said lovingly.

He showed her around the town for most of the day, telling her the history of everything, how he built it, and how it was like before. She listened to everything he said, amazed that he could build a town with so much beauty and culture.

Finally, after walking around the city all day they decided to stop by Sophie's restaurant. The sun was setting so the vampires were starting to come out. Many of them were already at the restaurant.

"Is this where all the vampires hang out when there aren't any parties?" Caroline asked, jokingly.

"I guess you could say that," Klaus responded. He was worried that Marcel would be there to try something against him, or worse, Caroline. He pulled her towards him.

They sat down at a booth where they ordered their drinks and talked about the places Caroline would like to visit most. Everything was going great until Marcel showed up.

He walked in with three of his men behind him. He looked serious. Everyone in the place stared at him. He cracked a smile and just like that, everyone went back to their business. Klaus was annoyed at the amount of power Marcel held over these people. He remembered when it was him whom they feared like that.

Marcel waved his men off and went over to their table. Klaus, instinctively put his hand on Caroline's. He knew that Marcel knew about her. There was no hiding it now. Marcel noticed and looked at their hands. He smiled then looked at Klaus. "Klaus," he nodded. "I didn't realize you had such great taste in women," he grinned, looking at Caroline. She hadn't even noticed Marcel was looking at her. She was focused on Klaus. This, for some reason, annoyed Marcel. _She doesn't even acknowledge my presence_, he thought, frustrated, thinking of how he could get her attention.

Klaus took him out of his reverie. "There are many things you don't know about me, Marcel," he said menacingly. Marcel was annoyed but did his best to smile.

"That may be true... But you know what I do know, Klaus?" He looked at Caroline and then back at Klaus. "No woman could ever love you."

Caroline finally looked at Marcel. She looked visibly upset. That comment angered her. She stood up and faced Marcel, ready to tell him off.

"You don't know me!" she said loudly. Many of the vampires around them had now turned to look at the scene unfolding among them, surprised that anyone, especially someone like Caroline, could stand up to someone like Marcel. Klaus was smirking, amused by her reaction. He loved seeing this feisty side of Caroline.

"You're right. I don't," Marcel said in an equally fierce tone. "But I know Klaus. And trust me"- he was right in front of her now - "he's gonna do something that's gonna send you running for the hills. It's only a matter of time." He decided to annoy her some more. He also enjoyed seeing this side of Caroline. "And when that happens, and it will, I'll be here to fill his spot," he said flirtingly, knowing very well his last comment would strike a nerve.

_Ugh, he's obviously trying to get under Klaus' skin_, Caroline thought, not realizing that it was her Marcel was annoying and not Klaus. She looked at Klaus who was completely relaxed since he knew exactly what Marcel was trying to do. She looked back at Marcel who was smiling at her which pissed her off even more.

"You know what? I really don't need this right now," she said. She didn't want to start fighting with him in a room full of loyal vampires.

"Shall we go, Caroline?" Klaus asked, completely calm. He got up and gave Caroline his arm which she willfully accepted.

Instead of being completely enraged at Caroline for her outburst and disrespecting him in front of all the people in the restaurant, Marcel was impressed by her ability to stand up for herself. He hadn't been around someone like that for a long time. He had encountered some humans who had considered themselves brave enough to stand up to him but they were just foolish because they didn't know who he really was. But Caroline did. She knew exactly who he was but that didn't stop her. _She's really something else_, he thought.

"Well, it was nice chatting with you, mate, but unfortunately we have to go," Klaus said sarcastically. He flashed him a small smile and lead Caroline towards the exit. Marcel watched them go with their arms linked.

"Caroline!" he called out before they left the restaurant. Caroline and Klaus both turned to look at him, impatient to leave. "Have a good night," he said.

Wow. He must really be desperate to get on Klaus' nerves. She rolled her eyes at him. "Yup," she said and they walked out, not once looking back at Marcel as they left.

Marcel stood there a minute or two before he sat down in the same spot Caroline was seated a few minutes before him. He began to rethink his plan to use Caroline against Klaus. _Do I really want to hurt this girl?_ he wondered. _Of course I do!_ he corrected himself. _She's the only thing I have against Klaus right now. I need to put this... compassion I'm feeling for Caroline aside and focus on the plan!_ He sat there for a few more minutes until the men he came with saw him alone and joined him. They went to a party where Marcel spent most of the night, distracting himself from Caroline and Klaus.


	5. Elijah Brings News

Caroline was brought back to Klaus' French Quarter mansion. The place was enormous yet cozy and comforting. There was a fire burning when they entered the house. She made her way over to the roaring fire and stood there, admiring the flames. She had already forgotten about her encounter with Marcel. Her mind was focused on Klaus. _What does he mean to me?_ she pondered. A few minutes passed and then Klaus walked in, interrupting her thoughts. She hadn't even realized he had left. She turned her head to look at him. He had a bottle of whiskey in one hand and two glasses in the other. The fire illuminated his face, showing off his facial features. She'd never seen him this way before. _Woah... _

"Yes, Caroline?" he asked, wondering what had her so awestruck.

"Nothing," she said kindly.

He walked over to the small table in front of the couch by the fire and set the bottle and glasses on the table. "Care to join me for a drink?" he said, gesturing towards the couch.

"Don't mind if I do." Caroline said, trying to sound casual even though she was nervous. _Why the hell am I nervous? It's not like I've never had a drink with him before!_ she thought, trying to calm her jitters. She made her way over to the lover's seat and sat down. He served each of them a drink and sat down beside her.

A few minutes had gone by and neither of them had said a word. It was obvious none of them knew what to do. It was silent but comforting, like they had known each other for years and were just having a quiet evening by the fire of their home.

"What is this, Klaus?" Caroline said, breaking the silence.

He looked stunned. "What is what?" he asked.

"This... thing we have going on," she said. They looked at each other for a bit.

"I don't know, Caroline," he said, pondering her question.

She paused for a moment, put her drink down, then finally spoke. "You know... I keep trying to convince myself that you're this horrible monster who doesn't deserve love or sympathy. But then... when I heard Marcel say those things about you, I felt the need to stick up for you," she paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "The truth is... I came to New Orleans thinking that I was just visiting an old friend but that wasn't the case at all," she said softly.

"What are you saying Caroline?" he asked.

"I'm saying I enjoy being around you, Klaus," she said, nervously.

Caroline tried to look anywhere but at Klaus and Klaus just continued to looked at her, unsure of what to say. It was at that moment that Elijah walked in.

"Well, hello there, Caroline," Elijah said with a small smile. Even Elijah could feel the tension in the room.

"Elijah!" Caroline said, surprised to see him. _I guess that explains the fire that was already here,_ she thought.

"Care to join us for a drink, brother?" Klaus asked, trying to be casual though he was a tad annoyed that they were interrupted.

"Actually... I just came by to give you some information I thought you might want to hear," Elijah said.

"Well, let's hear it then," Klaus responded.

"The witches are talking, Niklaus. About Caroline," Elijah said. He looked at Caroline. _Me?_ Caroline thought. _Why the hell are they talking about me?_

"The witches?" Klaus scoffed.

"They've seen her as a beacon of hope. Word got out that Caroline stood up to Marcel. It apparently doesn't happen often, if ever actually. No one's ever stood up to him the way she did and made it out alive. She seems to have gained their respect," Elijah said, knowing very well that, since the witches respected Caroline, they would be more inclined to listen to her than any other vampire. "Niklaus, if we had the witches on our side, the possibilities would be endless," he said enthusiastically.

Klaus sat silently, pondering everything Elijah had just told him. _We need the witches on our side_, Klaus thought. But at what cost? He looked at Caroline.

Caroline was staring at the floor knowing exactly what Elijah had already planned out in his head. _I can be the beacon of hope they need... that Klaus needs to take on Marcel_, she thought. "I want to help!" she blurted out suddenly.

Klaus' mouth dropped. "You want to help?" he asked, dumbfounded. Elijah smiled.

"Yes," Caroline finally said, nodding her head.

"No," Klaus said.

"W-what? Why?" she asked, confused.

"It's too dangerous," Klaus said. Both Caroline and Elijah were shocked.

Elijah, who was completely calm just a moment ago, now had a look of disbelief on his face. _Does he really care so much about this girl that he would refuse her help to get the witches on our side?_ Elijah wondered.

Caroline took the drink out of Klaus' hand, put it on the table, and looked into his eyes. He was surprised by her assertiveness and so was Elijah who had never seen anyone outside of their family act so casually around Klaus.

"Look, back in Mystic Falls, I felt like I had no purpose, like I was just some sort of blonde distraction. Here in New Orleans, I feel like I've been given a fresh start, like I can actually do something. Don't stop me from doing this," she said

Caroline and Elijah were both looking at Klaus expectantly while Klaus processed everything Caroline had just told him. _She's right. I can't stop her from doing this,_ he thought, knowing very well that Caroline wasn't someone who could be easily controlled. She always got what she wanted and right now what she wanted was to help him.

"Fine," Klaus said. Caroline was so elated that she threw her arms around him, taking Klaus completely off guard. He sat there stunned for a few seconds before he finally wrapped his arms around her. Klaus sat there with Caroline's arms around his neck and his arms around her waist.

Elijah was standing by them feeling like he was somehow interrupting a private moment.

They let go of each other and Caroline looked at Klaus. "We'll do this together," she said, then looked at Elijah who was watching idly by. "We all will," she said.

****Klaus stood up along with Caroline. He looked at Caroline and then Elijah. "Together," he said and gave them a mischievous smile.


	6. Caroline Visits Sophie

The next day Caroline decided that she would go see Sophie. Elijah and Klaus had filled her in on everything having to do with Marcel so she knew all of the destruction he had caused during Klaus' absence. Klaus wanted to go with her but Elijah insisted that Caroline go alone since Sophie, along with many of the other witches in town, already respected her and would be more inclined to take her ideas into consideration. It was still daylight out so the place was empty since most of the people who went there were either vampires or tourists on a night out. Hardly anyone ever showed up during the day time. She scanned the room and spotted Sophie behind the bar wiping down the counter.

She put the rag down once she saw Caroline. "Caroline," Sophie said, somewhat surprised to see her.

"Sophie," Caroline said, flashing her a big smile.

"I thought you'd be locked away in one of Klaus' dungeons," she said, jokingly though a part of her was serious.

"I told you before. Klaus is a friend," this time when she said it, Caroline meant it. _Klaus and I are at least friends, I know that much_, she thought.

"I guess you weren't kidding," Sophie said with a small smile. "You know, I've been hearing some fascinating things about you, Caroline," she said matter-of-factly. "To be honest, I didn't know you had it in you," she said.

"Yeah... neither did I," Caroline said, remembering the confrontation she had with Marcel. To her, what she did was nothing but to everyone else who had lived in fear for so long, it meant everything. It meant hope, even if all she did was confront Marcel.

"So why are you here?" Sophie asked her.

"I know about the way Marcel has treated the witches in this town. Klaus told me that many of you live in fear," she said, deciding it would be best not to hold anything back. "I want you to know that you don't have to be oppressed anymore. Klaus, Elijah, and I want to bring him down. But we need you," Caroline said, hope in her voice.

"You need the witches," Sophie said, stating what Caroline couldn't. "Caroline, going up against Marcel would mean our death," she said.

"Not if we have a plan," Caroline said enthusiastically. "We can do this. I believe that we can but we need to work together. If we never try then we'll never know," she said. "I know I'm new to his town and that you probably think I don't know what the hell I'm talking about but I do know this. No one likes to live in fear," she said confidently. Caroline had a way of inspiring people. Like Klaus had once told her in the past, she was strong, beautiful, and full of light. These traits didn't go unnoticed. When she spoke, people listened.

Sophie remembered all of the pain and death that Marcel had caused in her life. She didn't want to live that way anymore, always having to hide who she was, never being able to live the way she wanted because of Marcel's barbaric rules against magic. Normally, Sophie would have objected to anything remotely close to what Caroline was suggesting but this time felt different. _It's now or never_, she thought to herself. She decided she would trust her gut instincts. She was going to help them take down Marcel. "I don't know if I'd be able to convince the other witches," Sophie said, unsure of what they would think of all this.

Caroline was beaming. "Just tell them everything I just told you," Caroline said, excited that she had won Sophie over.

Sophie nodded her head, thinking about how she would tell the other witches what Caroline, Klaus, and Elijah were planning. She wasn't even sure if she was going to able to get around Marcel and his followers. _How am I going to do this?_ she thought, remembering the many witches who had been slaughtered in the past because they tried to defy Marcel.

"I know this isn't going to be easy," Caroline said reassuringly. She put her hand on Sophie's. "But it'll be worth it in the end," she said and turned to leave.

Caroline started walking towards the door but before she could leave, Sophie called out to her. "Caroline, wait!" Sophie said. Caroline turned to look at her. "Why do you want to help us?" she asked, genuinely curious.

_I want to have a purpose_, Caroline thought. "Because I believe that everyone deserves a happy life, that people shouldn't have to live in hiding because of some guy who thinks he can terrorize people into obeying him," she said. Her voice never faltered. Sophie admired her strength. She had forgotten what it meant to be truly brave.

Caroline left the restaurant and began walking towards the mansion. She thought about taking a cab but then decided that she needed some fresh air. She walked for about fifteen minutes until she reached a street with many old buildings. The street looked to be abandoned resembling a back alley. Before she reached the end of the street she felt a figure behind her. She stopped for a second, then immediately turned around. There, standing right in front of her was Marcel with a deadly expression on his face. _This is it_, Caroline thought, mentally preparing herself for a fight.

"Marcel," Caroline said, deciding it would be better to have the first word. She crossed her arms and took a defensive stance.

Marcel noticed her defensive attitude immediately. He smiled. "Don't worry, Caroline. I'm not going to hurt you," he said.

Caroline didn't believe him. She kept her stance. "So what the hell do you want? And why were you following me?" she asked, sternly. _Can this guy get any creepier?_ she thought.

Marcel looked stunned. _She thinks I was spying on her?_ he thought, surprised. She noticed the pensive look on his face. She unfolded her arms and began to physically relax.

"So you weren't following me..." she concluded, wondering why exactly he was there.

He chuckled. "No. I wasn't. Besides, Caroline, if I wanted you followed, do you really think I would have done it myself?" he laughed.

"Right," she said, tight lipped. "You would've had one of your little minions do it for you," she said mockingly. She eyed him carefully. "So what were you doing out here then? Torturing people?" she said.

He stopped laughing but he was still grinning. "You know, that's what I love about you, Caroline. You're so fierce," he said not answering her question. He stepped forward and reached up to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "And so beautiful," he said, taking in her beauty with his hand still on her face. Her scent was glorious. She looked at him right in the eye. Their faces were inches apart. _She's not even afraid,_ he thought. He wasn't sure if he was displeased by the idea or intrigued by it. They stood there, staring at each other for a few more moments before Caroline broke the spell.

"I have to get back to Klaus," she said.

Hearing her say Klaus' name made him uneasy, like it didn't belong in her mouth. His smile faded. "Of course," he said, finally. Marcel wasn't sure why but the thought of Caroline going home to Klaus upset him.

She turned away from him and began walking in the direction she was walking in before being interrupted by Marcel. _Seriously, what is wrong with that guy? Lurking in the shadows like some sort of stalker,_ she thought. She didn't look back and soon, she was back on a crowded.

Marcel just stood there, dumbfounded and confused. _What the hell?_ he thought. He didn't like the way Caroline made him feel. He felt unprotected against her, like she could destroy him if she wanted to.

After walking for ten minutes, Caroline reached the house. When she entered, Elijah and Klaus were at the doorway waiting for her. "Were you guys waiting there the whole time or something?" she asked them.

"No, we heard you coming," Klaus said.

"What did she say?" Elijah asked, getting straight to the point.

Caroline walked past them towards the room they were in the previous night and sat down on the couch. They followed but didn't sit down. Instead, they chose to hover over her. "She said she would talk to the other witches," Caroline said contently, looking at both of them.

"Perfect," Elijah said.

Klaus relaxed and took a seat next to Caroline, leaning back on the couch. "Looks like you didn't need me after all," he said and gave her a smile. He was pleased with her.

"Kind of wish you would've came," she mumbled, thinking about her encounter with Marcel.

He sat up. "For what?" he asked her.

"I saw Marcel," she said.

Elijah and Klaus looked at each other.

"Where?" Elijah asked, trying to gather intel on Marcel's whereabouts.

"What did he want?" Klaus asked, wondering what he wanted from Caroline.

"It was a few blocks from the Sophie's restaurant" she said, remembering the abandoned street. "I don't really know what he wanted" she said.

"He didn't say?" Klaus asked.

"No, he just acted all flirty like he always does and then I left. That was it," she said.

****Klaus wondered about Marcel's ulterior motives and decided that, until the plan to take him down was executed, it was best if Caroline stayed close by him. He didn't want to risk her safety on the unlikely chance that their encounter was a coincidence which Klaus didn't believe for a second.


	7. Breakfast

A week had gone by and Marcel hadn't seen Klaus, Elijah, or Caroline. He was at a party and was drinking a from a bottle. He was sitting on the couch with a girl on each arm but didn't seem to acknowledge they were there. He was thinking about Caroline. Every time he saw a girl with blonde hair his interest spiked but when he realized it wasn't her he became disappointed. He wasn't sure why he wanted to see her or what he would even say to her if he did but, ever since that encounter he had with her in the street, he couldn't get his mind off of her. Her fearlessness, passion, and strength attracted him to her. Thinking of her with Klaus only made him want to kill him even more.

Meanwhile, Klaus and Caroline were in the mansion strategizing different plans. Elijah spent most of the time recruting people for their army and gathering information so Klaus and Caroline had been spending a lot of time together.

They were sitting at the dining table with pictures, maps, and other papers scattered everywhere. "Here," Caroline said, pointing to a circled spot on the map. "If we can put informants here then we can start gathering intel on where to get weapons," she said. Klaus nodded. All week she had been surprising him with her extensive knowledge on artillery, warfare, and other war-related subjects. She had taken a class on the Civil War and, since their teacher didn't seem to know the actual history of the war, he resorted to teaching them about general warfare. She never thought she would need the information until now.

"All we have to do is just find the right people for the job," he said, pensive.

He walked behind her to go around the table and brushed past her. She was wearing shorts and the back of his hand accidentally grazed her leg making her shiver. "Sorry," he said.

"It's fine," she said casually, focused on the map. She didn't want him to see how much that one touch affected her.

They spent a few minutes staring at the map, trying to figure out positions and different strategies until Caroline got fed up and went over to the living room and plopped down on the large couch. "I need a break," she said tiredly and let out a sigh. They had been working for five hours straight. She kicked her feet up on the three-person sofa and shut her eyes.

He followed her and sat down on the other couch across from her. He was admiring the way she looked in her tank top and shorts. Her eyes were closed so she didn't notice him staring at her eagerly. When she finally opened her eyes she caught him staring. "What?" she asked with a smile.

He let out a small smile. "Nothing," he said. He leaned back against the couch and put his feet up on the table.

"I'm hungry," Caroline said. "Let's get breakfast!" she said, getting up immediately. They hadn't eaten since the day before and it was already noon.

"If you insist," he said and got up. "Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"I saw this little place when I was walking back from Sophie's last week. We could go there?" she said, nervously. She wasn't sure if he would agree.

"As you wish," he said and flashed her a smile.

She threw her arms around him. She wasn't sure why. It was just breakfast but she couldn't help it. _What the hell am I doing?_ she asked herself but it was too late and she found herself basking in his warmth.

He hugged her back, stunned at her gesture. Surely she couldn't be too excited about eating? She smelled good and felt so soft. He let her go before he became tempted to pounce on her.

"I'm gonna go get ready," she said. And run up the stairs into the guest room she had been staying in for the past couple weeks. She hadn't been required to put on regular clothes for a week since she had been in the house strategizing with Klaus. They really seemed to work well together.

Klaus watched her run up the steps. He loved seeing her so happy. She looked so... free. He heard her door close and decided he had better get ready as well. Before he went to his room he packed away all of the papers on his dining table. He carried the box up to his room and quickly got dressed.

He went back downstairs and sat down at the table to wait for her. A few minutes later he saw her at the top of the stairs. She was wearing a short white skirt, a flowered blouse, and flip flops. She was also carrying a brown purse. Klaus looked at her, taking in her beauty. She looked beautiful. "You look stunning," he said and got up to meet her as she descended down the stairs.

"Oh, this? It's nothing," she said, jokingly even though she purposely picked her outfit to impress him.

He extended his hand out to her and she took it. They left the mansion hand in hand and walked towards the small restaurant Caroline had told Klaus about.

* * *

"It should be around here somewhere," she said, distracted, looking for the place. "There it is!" she said, as a restaurant with a sign that read _Katrina's Kitchen_ came into view.

"Ah, yes, I've come across this place a few times," Klaus said. He had known the woman whom the restaurant was named after. She was a practicing witch who died after Klaus left the town and Marcel took over. Her daughter built the restaurant in her honor.

He opened the door for her and they stepped inside. The place was small and intimate. They went over to a booth situated in the corner and sat down. Their overly-happy waitress came over to take their order.

"I'll have whatever she's having," he said, before the waitress could give him a menu.

Caroline was looking at the menu, unsure of what to order. "Um... just give us the best thing you have," she said and gave the waitress a smile.

"Sure thing," the waitress said before leaving.

"So this is a cute little place," Caroline said when she was sure the waitress was out of earshot.

"It's nice," he said more fascinated by her than their location.

"You know you've been giving me looks all week," she said matter-of-factly.

"What looks?" he asked her.

"That look right there!" she said, pointing at his face. For the past week she had caught him looking at her with this loving and kind expression. She didn't know how to describe it but it gave her butterflies.

"I didn't realize..." he said, slightly embarrassed that she had seen him staring at her.

"No! I like it," she said with a half smile.

"You do?" he asked. He leaned forward. "What else do you like?" he whispered, teasingly. He hadn't meant to sound so lustful.

Her eyes widened slightly as she immediately thought of him in bed. He noticed how flustered she had became in less than a minute. She decided to play along. "Oh, Mr. Mikaelson I'm sure you'd find that I'm not too picky and actually like a lot of things," she said, letting out a giggle.

He laughed. "I'm sure you do, Miss Forbes."

At that moment, the waitress came back with their drinks. She set them on the table and quickly left, realizing that she had interrupted a private moment between them. They were alone again and Caroline put her hand over Klaus'. "You know I care about you, Klaus," she said.

"Yeah, we're friends," he said, more of a reminder to himself than to her.

"Yeah," she said with a half smile. "We are." But she meant more than that. Caroline had spent every waking moment with Klaus for the past week. He was the first person she saw in the morning and usually the last person to see before she went to bed. Well, him and Elijah. She had started to care deeply about him, in a way that friends just couldn't.

****Klaus had never felt so strongly about anyone before. She challenged him, made him happy, and made him re-evaluate himself in a way that no one else did. He boldly brushed his hand against her cheek. His touch electrified every inch of her. She didn't want him to pull away. "I'm glad you don't hate me," was all he could say.


	8. Sophie's Place

The next day Caroline woke up, her thoughts drifting to the breakfast they had the previous day. It was strange the way her and Klaus had acted around each other. It was almost like they weren't themselves. It was evident that they were beginning to feel more comfortable around each other.

She walked downstairs and saw Klaus at the table. "Morning," she said, shyly.

He was hunched over the dining table where they had been working for the past week. He turned his head and smiled at her. "Hello, Caroline."

Caroline noticed the unfamiliar pieces of paper and photographs that were scattered across the table. She walked briskly to where he was standing. "Hey, why didn't you tell me there was new info?" she asked him as she began shuffling through the pieces of papers on the table.

"You were asleep by the time Elijah came home with all of this," he said, motioning to the stack of pages on the table. "I didn't want to wake you," he said.

"Oh," she said. "So what's new?" she asked.

"Well, we know that Marcel has people scattered all over the town. Even near the outskirts of the city. What we have to do is find ways to get around them," he said.

She smiled slightly, as an idea popped into her head. "Find the blind spots," she said, finishing his thoughts.

"Precisely," he said, looking at her in admiration. She turned to look at him. There was a current between them, some sort of pull that hadn't been there before. He had always been attracted to her but this time felt different. The charge felt stronger. She could feel it too.

"W-we should, um, go see Sophie about the whole witches thing," she said, stumbling on her words. They were standing a foot away from each other.

"Of course," he said, breaking from his reverie. "We need to figure out how Marcel is planning on defending himself when we attack," he said surely.

"Yeah and we need to figure out how we're even _going_ to attack. We need the witches," she said.

"Let's get ready then," he said and smiled at her.

* * *

Klaus and Caroline arrived at Sophie's place. Every pair of eyes in the restaurant turned to them. Word had got out that Klaus, the only guy who stood a chance against Marcel, who cared for no one other than himself, and who was supposed to be the most powerful and evil person in the world, had a piece of eye candy on his arm that he wasn't afraid to show off. At least this was how it looked to some of the other vampires. Even though Caroline had only been in New Orleans for a few days, she already had somewhat of a reputation. She had stood up to Marcel and had somehow won the affections of the most evil person in the world. Some of them feared her and others admired her. Some just weren't sure what to think of her.

Klaus walked through the crowded restaurant towards the bar with Caroline right behind him. Sophie was at the end of the bar, wiping down the counter. She looked up when she noticed the change in atmosphere in the establishment. She put down her rag as soon as she saw Caroline. "Caroline," she said and flashed her a smile. She turned to look at Klaus. "Klaus," Sophie said, eyeing him cautiously. Though she trusted Caroline, she still wasn't sure if she felt the same about Klaus.

"We didn't think the place would be packed," Caroline said, observing the amount of people in the restaurant. "It's usually not packed till later in the night."

"Yeah, well, Marcel is having some sort of event here tonight. All the vampires decided to show up as soon as the sun set," she said, icily. It was no secret that Sophie hated Marcel and with good reason since it was because of him that she had to live in fear and many of her friends and family had died.

Klaus leaned a bit forward so that only Sophie and Caroline could hear him. "Then I guess now's probably not a good time to chat," he said almost in a whisper. If Sophie hadn't been so close to him, she wouldn't have even noticed he spoke.

"We can come back in a few hours," Caroline suggested. "Or tomorrow," she said, unsure how long this event of Marcel's would last.

"Fine by me," Sophie said, nonchalantly.

"Awesome," Caroline said, just as casually. It was important that they all acted normally as to not look suspicious in front of Marcel's followers.

"We'd better head off then," Klaus said.

"Yeah, we should," she said. "Bye, Sophie!" Caroline gave a slight smile and a wave before turning to go. Sophie smiled back and returned to wiping the counter.

Klaus and Caroline began walking towards the door when, suddenly, Marcel showed up followed by three of his followers, the ones he considered friends. Caroline instinctively linked her arm with Klaus' as soon as she saw Marcel. "Hello, everyone!" Marcel shouted, enthusiastically. At the sound of his voice, everyone began to whistle and clap. He was certainly loved among the vampire community.

He began to make his way towards where they were standing though he hadn't seemed to notice them yet. He was shaking people's hands, having small talk, and greeting everyone as he walked towards the bar. Then he spotted them. He had been looking for blonde hair all week so he noticed Caroline first. He couldn't help but check her out. She had on white, skinny jeans that hugged her nicely with a light pink, short sleeved shirt. Then he noticed she was clutching onto something, or rather someone. Klaus. His expression turned sour though it only lasted for less than a second.

Klaus let go of Caroline and went over to Marcel. Caroline went over to the bar and took a seat on one of the stools. Marcel watched her go, slightly offended that she didn't even have the courtesy to greet him. Was he really that repulsing to her?

"Marcel," Klaus said, amused. Though Marcel was good at deceiving most people, he couldn't deceive Klaus. Marcel was upset because of Caroline and Klaus noticed it right away. "She is rather lovely isn't she?" Klaus said, motioning to Caroline with his eyes. He was mocking him. Marcel gave him an annoyed smile.

"Eh," Marcel said and shrugged. "I've seen better," he said, trying to dismiss any accusations that Klaus might make against him. Caroline turned to look at him now from across the room. He thought he saw her glaring at him. _Did she hear me?_ he thought, a part of him regretting what he said.

Klaus smiled brightly at him then turned to look at Caroline. "Shall we go now, love?" he said, knowing she could hear him. She hopped out of her seat and was next to him in a second. Normally, she wouldn't dare use her vampire powers in public but she was surrounded by vampires so she wasn't as cautious about being seen.

She didn't say anything at first. She just stood there, looking at Marcel, trying to figure him out. It was clear he had an interest in her, an interest she didn't really understand, but an interest nonetheless. _What does he want from me? Does he want to use me as bait or something?_ she thought to herself, confused.

He was just as confused as she was. He had initially planned on using her against Klaus but now he wasn't so sure. He found himself caring for her too much, trying to come up with plans that didn't put her in danger. This new... interest he had developed for her had him worried that he wouldn't be able to kill her off if he needed to.

"Are you coming, Caroline?" he said, taking a step towards the exit.

****"Bye, Marcel," Caroline said without emotion and followed Klaus out the door.


	9. Deceit

"I can do this!" Caroline said enthusiastically. "I used to do it to you all the time! No offense," she said and chuckled at the memory.

"Yes, I do recall the way your friends used to send you out to distract me as an attempt to sabotage my plans," he said and gave her a small smile. "But this isn't me. This is Marcel. And for all we know, this could be his plan all along!" Klaus said. He hadn't meant to raise his voice but the thought of putting Caroline in danger angered him.

She put her hands on his shoulders to calm him down and looked at him, innocently. "I know you worry, Klaus. But you underestimate me. I'm doing this," she said and with that, he knew he couldn't possibly change her mind.

He grabbed her hands and pulled her into an embrace. "Okay," he whispered into her hair. As the weeks passed, they had grown more and more comfortable with each other so the fact that he pulled her into a hug didn't surprise Caroline anymore. He let her go. "But we do this my way," he said sternly.

Caroline beamed up at him, knowing she had convinced him. She nodded eagerly. "Of course," she said, happy to at least be helping.

* * *

Caroline showed up at Marcel's party by herself. She was wearing a small, black dress, going for the casual yet sophisticated look. She had came here for one thing and that was Marcel. She heard from many of the other vampires around town that he was having another party in the abandoned factory she first visited. As soon as she stepped inside, she immediately felt out of place. She was the only one that wasn't feeding, drinking, dancing, or making out with someone.

As she began to make her way through the crowd a girl with black, straight hair bumped into her. "Hey, watch where you're go-" the girl said but then realization gleamed in her eyes as she looked up and saw who she stumbled upon. Her eyes widened. "Sorry about that," she said shyly.

"It's... okay," Caroline said but the girl had already scrambled away before she could finish her sentence. _What the hell?_ Caroline thought to herself, confused. What Caroline didn't realize was that she was becoming somewhat of an icon in the town. Many had already begun to fear her even though they barely knew her.

She continued to make her way through the party until someone stepped right into her path. She looked up to see a man she didn't recognize. He had several tattoos, many of them Celtic, and he looked like he could he a model. He was definitely good looking.

"My name's James," he said and outstretched his hand. "I work with Marcel," he said and gave her a warm smile.

Caroline found it strange that someone like him would be working for Marcel or that Marcel would send one of his followers out to find her. Since she was looking for him anyway, she decided to play along. She shook his hand. "Caroline," she said and gave him a small smile.

"Follow me," he said. He turned and started walking towards the emergency exit. Caroline followed.

They reached the door and he turned to her. "You're not going to be able to see for a few minutes. We've purposely blocked out any light and only we know the path so you're going to have to grab my hand and follow me to avoid setting off any traps," he said. Caroline nodded and put her hand in his.

He opened the door and they stepped inside. He was right. Not even a vampire could see in this darkness.

"Stay close," he said. She felt uncomfortable holding this stranger's hand but she also didn't want to set off any traps so she tightened her grip on his hand and did her best to stay close.

Finally, after going through what seemed like a maze, Caroline could see light coming from under a door. They walked closer to it and then James let Caroline's hand go to open it. There was a narrow path which led to another door only this one was made of steel. James knocked on the metal door and was let in by another man who looked liked he could be his brother. Then Caroline saw him. He was sitting at a table like he was waiting for something.

"James, Jacob, leave us," Marcel said menacingly. Both the men nodded and left the room.

"Caroline," he said, flashing her a smile. "I didn't think I'd ever see you at one of my social gatherings," he said and gave her a warm smile.

"I decided I'd give them a shot," she said sarcastically.

"Join me," he said, kindly, motioning to the seat across from him. She hesitated for a moment before sitting down.

"What is this?" Caroline asked. "And why do you need to see me?"

"First, let's start with why you're here," he said and folded his arms.

"I'm here to tell you to back off," she said angrily.

He laughed. "I'm guessing Klaus doesn't know you're here," he said, mockingly.

She glared at him and decided to lie. "No, he doesn't know I'm here. But that doesn't make my threat any less serious," she said. This made him laugh even more which annoyed her. "And why the hell did you bring me here?" she asked.

"I'll get to that. But first, I want to tell you a little about myself," he said, dismissing the idea that she could be of any threat to him.

"Okay," she said warily. She wasn't quite sure where he was going with this.

"I was sired by Klaus more than a hundred years ago. We were... friends. He saved me from living the life of a slave and taught me a lot of what I know today. The thing is that he ran, Caroline. He deserted this town to save _himself_ from his father and didn't give a damn what would happen to the rest of us," Marcel said, angrily. "When he left, we had to fend for ourselves and being his closest ally, well, I took it upon myself to take over and protect the town and the vampires in it, something he so clearly failed to do," he said.

"So where are you going with this?" Caroline snapped at him, confused as to what he wanted with her.

"My point is that Klaus can't just come back and claim what he _willingly_ left behind!" he said, more annoyed with Klaus than with her. He paused to compose himself. "I don't know, Caroline. I guess I just... want you to see both sides," he said after a long pause.

"Why do you care?" she asked him.

"Because it bothers me to see someone as... good as you falling for Klaus' tricks," he said, not quite sure how to put his thoughts into words.

"First of all," Caroline said bitterly, "you don't know me. And second of all, what do you expect me to do?" Caroline asked him.

Marcel paused, carefully picking what he would say next.. "I want you on my side, Caroline," he finally said. "I see your loyalty for Klaus even though it's misdirected," he said softly. "I need someone like that," he said, unsure if he was referring to his army or himself.

"I wouldn't betray him," Caroline said, doing her best to sound as innocent and scared as possible.

"That was then. But now that you know what you know, would you be able to?" he asked eagerly, awaiting her response. He noticed her confliction. "Caroline, this only confirms what you already suspect, that he's a liar and a manipulator. He got you to believe that I was the one at fault here. But we both know the truth," he said, trying to convince her.

She pondered everything he was saying. "I-I wouldn't be able to just leave," she said. "He would suspect something was up if I didn't give him a reason for leaving," she said, trying to sound helpless.

Marcel grinned. "That's the beauty of it," he said matter-of-factly. "You wouldn't have to."

That's when it hit her. The weight of what Marcel was asking her to do. He wanted her to be his spy. She stood up, not sure of what to do. "Get me out of here," she said, angrily.

"Fine," Marcel said not wanting to push the issue any further. He pulled out his phone, dialed a few numbers, and put the phone up to his ear. "James, Caroline's ready to be escorted out," he said into the phone and shut it, before he could get a response.

James arrived at the room in a few seconds ready to escort Caroline back to the party. Before they could leave he stood up. "Think about my offer," he said, his eyes pleading.

"Okay," she said and nodded.

James led Caroline out of the maze and back into the room where the party was. She left the building and walked a block before she pulled out her phone and dialed Klaus' number. She put it to her ear and waited for him to pick up.

"Caroline," he said, sounding worried.

"It's done," Caroline said proudly. "He bought it! He doesn't suspect a thing."

She could almost hear the smile in his voice when he spoke. "Perfect," he said.


	10. Let the Battle Begin

The next day Marcel woke up in a clouded state. Had he really spoken to Caroline Forbes last night or did he just imagine the whole thing? He had been so fixated on her lately that he wasn't sure if his memories were real or if what he remembered was just a vivid dream. He got up from his bed and walked over to the large window in this room. With one swift movement, he opened the curtain, instantly flooding the room with sunlight. He could tell by the crowd that his festival was starting off well. The majority of the participating merchants had already set up their posts, the street dancers were claiming their territories, and the street was being cleared for the floats that would soon fill the streets. For some reason, unknown even to himself, Marcel wanted Caroline to be there, to see all that he was capable of, maybe. This festival would be unforgettable.

* * *

Caroline got out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She went over to the mirror and wiped the steam away. She stood there, looking at herself. She didn't look any different though she certainly felt like it. All this time with Klaus had changed her in ways she still didn't really understand. Caroline was still trying to figure out if this change was a good thing. She opened the bathroom door and saw Klaus standing in front of her.

"I was going to knock," he said, a bit embarrassed.

"Uh, y-yeah," she said. She was standing less than a foot away from Klaus with only a towel covering her body. He didn't expect to see Caroline half naked when he knocked on the door, not that he actually got the chance to.

Klaus sensed her discomfort and cleared his throat. "There's some sort of parade today and... I just wanted to know if you were interested in going? It would, uh, be good for Marcel to see that he has my support," he said, jokingly, and chuckled.

"Support. Sure," she said, sarcastically. She couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I think he should see me there," she said. "Maybe I could even talk to him about our arrangement," she said in a more serious tone.

"Of course," Klaus responded, mimicking her tone. "One hour," he said, holding up one finger.

* * *

Caroline and Klaus arrived at the festival just in time to see the finale of a dance performance. The dancers twisted and turned in unison and occasionally propelled off each others' backs. They admired the dancers from afar, Klaus commenting every now and then on the origin of the dance and why it was unique to this city. Caroline loved it when Klaus gave her mini history lessons on the town. It made her appreciate it more. The dance ended with the dancers forming one big pyramid and everyone burst into applause. Caroline was clapping and grinning.

"That was amazing!" she said, excitedly. "If only I could have ever convinced the cheer squad to do something like that!"

Klaus chuckled. "That, I would have loved to see," he said, with a shy smile.

Caroline looked at him with the same shyness. "What, you're into cheerleading now?" She laughed.

"Of course. Didn't you know?" he said, sarcastically, trying to hide his embarrassment. He was feeling embarrassed a lot today, apparently. "Come," he said, diverging from the subject, "let's go watch the floats."

He held out his arm which Caroline instinctively took. After spending so many weeks with Klaus, this had become the norm. Every once in awhile they would venture out into the town, their arms entwined, sometimes for the sole purpose of getting a task done and other times out of boredom. Though Klaus wasn't the type to waste his time going out into town for fun when he had a mission at hand, he could see Caroline's boredom whenever they didn't take a break for a long while. She never said anything, never complained but he could see the toll it took on her whenever they would spend days, sometimes even weeks, on end doing nothing but working on their plan. He was used to it but she wasn't.

They walked by a group of young vampires huddled together. Klaus, seeing the rings on each of their fingers, knew immediately who they were; members Marcel's inner circle. They, too, noticed them when they walked, not by their rings but by their faces. Everyone in the town knew who they were by now. Caroline smiled as they walked by though Klaus kept his facial features neutral. Behind the cluster of vampires, on the steps, sat Marcel, beaming up at them.

Caroline's smile faded and Klaus gave him a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Marcel," he said, and nodded.

"Klaus!" He hopped out of his seat on the steps and embraced him, the same way he did when they had their reunion many weeks ago. Klaus let go of Caroline before Marcel went in for the hug. He was obviously trying to get under Klaus' skin which Klaus easily ignored. Then, Marcel turned to Caroline.

"Caroline! What a pleasure it is to see you again," Marcel said, as he pulled her into a similar embrace, unsure of it was because he truly wanted to or if it was just because he wanted to frustrate Klaus. He decided it was a little of both.

"Um, hi," she said stunned, clearly not expecting the hug from Marcel. She put her arms around him awkwardly, not really hugging him.

"What do you want, Marcel?" Klaus asked him, clearly annoyed. Marcel got the reaction he was hoping for and stepped away from Caroline, satisfied that he had managed to get a rise out of him.

"Just wanted to greet an old friend," he said, grinning.

"Of course," Klaus said calmly. "Well, consider me greeted."

At that moment, loud music started playing. Caroline looked around, confused.

Marcel noticed her confusion. "It's the dance period that happens before the floats arrive," Marcel said matter-of-factly.

"Oh," she said.

Klaus turned to Caroline. "Let's dance, Caroline," he said, smiling, and held out his hand.

Caroline smiled back at him and gave him her hand. He pulled her away from Marcel into the center of the street where everyone else had gathered to dance. They positioned themselves into a basic dance position and began swaying to the jazz music that was playing. It was a fast-beat track and, though Caroline didn't know how to dance jazz to save her life, Klaus made it easy for her to follow his moves. He spun her around and just when she thought she would spin into oblivion, she was back in his arms again.

"Klaus!" she shrieked in enjoyment.

"Sorry, love," he said. She could hear the smile in his voice. She was laughing now which made Klaus break into a huge grin.

Marcel watched them from a distance, feeling as though he was somehow interrupting a private moment. He looked at Caroline wondering if she remembered their conversation. She looked so happy, full of laughter. He wondered if Caroline could really betray Klaus, if she really had the heart to do it.

One of the vampires in Marcel's circle walked up to him, interrupting his thoughts. "We're all set," he said.

"Perfect," Marcel said, keeping his eyes trained on Caroline, taking in her expression, her happiness. "Let's do it," he said sternly and turned away from the crowd of dancers. He looked at his crew and gave them a wicked smile. "You know what to do." At that very moment, the sirens went off.


End file.
